Footfall on the Welsh high street has suffered a further decline in the face of Brexit uncertainty and migration to online,聽 shows latest research.
In September, according to the Welsh Retail Consortium (WRC) and retail consultancy Springboard, footfall in Wales declined by 3.1% year on year, worse than the 12-month average decline of 2.4%.
This was made up of:
- A high street decline of 4.2% was the worst of all the 海角视频鈥檚 nations.
- A retail park聽 decline of 1.1% is better than in August.
- Shopping centres saw a 2.7% decline was significantly shallower than in August.
Sara Jones, head of policy and external affairs at the WRC, said: 鈥淚t was another difficult month for Welsh retailers, with a decline in the number of shoppers across all destinations.
鈥淗igh streets fared particularly badly with a decline of 4.2%, making Wales the worst performing nation.聽 These poor footfall figures are reflected in September鈥檚 retail sales which saw like-for-like sales declining by 1.7 per cent compared to last year.
鈥淲ith shoppers choosing to hold off from spending on non-essential purchases it is clear that the current political gridlock around Brexit is causing concern for both the consumer and retailer alike. We continue to press the case with the 海角视频 Government for clarity over our future trading relationship with our closest neighbours, it is vitally important that Britain does not leave the EU without a deal. 鈥
Ms Jones called on the Welsh Government to support retailers by implementing its budget recommendations. She added: 鈥淢ore frequent revaluations and a lower business rates multiplier, an enabling plan for the industry coupled with greater investment in skills and development would signal to retailers that Wales is truly open for business.鈥
The Welsh Conservatives have also called for the Welsh Government to take urgent action to support retailers on business rates.
Its shadow economy and transport spokesman Russell George AM, said: 鈥淭he continued decline of footfall in our Welsh high streets is nothing new and yet the Welsh Labour Government are doing nothing about it. Business rates in Wales are at a twenty-year high, damaging our retailer鈥檚 ability to be competitive.
鈥淲elsh Labour have admitted that they haven鈥檛 known what they were doing with the Welsh economy for the last twenty years, but the Welsh Conservatives have a plan to lead Wales to a brighter future.
鈥淲e will support businesses by reducing business rates for small business, which make up the beating heart of our high streets and communities, helping them to be more competitive, attract more people to our high streets and provide more jobs for local people.鈥
Diane Wehrle, Springboard's marketing and insights聽 director 鈥淕iven the monumental changes that have occurred in our retail trading landscape over the past decade, it is unsurprising that the long-term footfall trend is a downward one.聽
鈥淗owever, with 80% of spend remaining in store there is still much for bricks and mortar stores to play for in Q4 of 2019, which of course includes the all-important festive trading perio
